Thanks for your comments. We are clearly missing some key piece to make it feel fun and engaging. Part of that I have to acknowledge comes from gameplay elements that we thought would be fun, but seem to feel more repetitive and burdensome, namely the Inventory Management. We are going to largely put that to the side and try to focus on other things, rather than trying to make it feel more fun. It will stay as an option for those who want it, and maybe as we build out the rest of the game things will click and it will feel more rewarding.
We have a story in mind, but it feels like the story and gameplay are fighting. Our intro is too slow for many who want action sooner, yet not deep enough for others. We are not finding the right balance. The Compendium was added in part to allow more story and world building for those who want it, but also be skippable for those who don't. We've got a fair amount of culture and story for them, but are having trouble conveying it well in the game. Part of that likely comes from the way we are setting up the neighboring towns and everyone being friendly and knowing each other. As they venture further away there will be more cultural shocks that we can build on. Still, in the end, we are treating them as people. They have their own ways, their culture and society, but they are just living their lives, and suddenly were thrust into this grand quest. They are going to learn and grow as they go. Helen especially is young and innocent, and is going to experience many shocks and have to learn to deal with some harsh realities along the way. Maybe there are other aspects we can explore to flesh things out better, or in a way that will better connect with a grander audience.
Unfortunately, based on the way things are going, I'm not sure that we have the time to dedicate solely to this game to get it where it will appeal to a broad enough audience. We let it grow too much, and it still needs months of work. We are running out of time to get something that will make money, so we need to reevaluate things. It would be great if we could just work on it until it was ready, but that is not where we are. Trying to create a smaller game that will appeal to a broader audience is likely what we will need to do. We are planning to set it in the same world so it can then help to cross promote, and allow us to continue to world build for both together. After we've had some time to rest and recover we will be doing a deep dive over all the feedback we've received and see what we think the best options are. Thanks again for your feedback!
FYI, We have another update almost ready. I need some sleep after rushing for a jam, but then I'm going to finish updating the descriptions for the changes. So probably a day or two. This just refines the recent change to not needing to distribute loot by default, by hiding the individual bags when not needed.